Mogadishu, Jan 17, (dpa/GNA) – At least 35 people were killed in an attack on a army base in central Somalia on Tuesday morning, according to the military.
The attack was preceded by three suicide bombings, spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed told dpa.
The Islamist terrorist militia Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, and said it had briefly taken control of the base. However, according to Mohamed, the base is now back under Somali government control. At least 20 Somali soldiers and 15 Al-Shabaab fighters were reportedly killed.
The country on the Horn of Africa with about 16 million inhabitants, has been afflicted by terrorist attacks and other acts of violence for many years.
Al-Shabaab controls large parts of the central Somali region as well as the south of the country, though government forces have been retaking territory in recent months. They announced on Monday that they had recaptured two strategically important terrorist strongholds.
GNA